Earth Day Crafting-Recycling plastic bag projects from the new book: Green Guide for Artists

I have a "Green Sneak Peek" in honor of Earth Day! (Available in June)

Just what the artists of planet need:

Green Guide for Artists
Nontoxic Recipes, Green Art Ideas, and Resources for the Eco-Conscious Artist
By
Karen Michel

 inspires artists to make better
eco-conscious choices within their work and their studios
and shows them how. The book has four sections: The
first offers safe and green practices for the workspace. The
second contains recipes for DIY art supplies such as ones
for mixing your own nontoxic paints and adhesive. The next
two sections share a fresh look at using recycled materials
through creative step-by-step projects and a gallery. The
book also contains a resource guide for ecofriendly materials
and supplies, including websites and forum links.

Karen Michel (Island Park, NY) is a mixed-media
artist. She runs a 10-year old nonprofit art center for
kids, the Creative Art Space for Kids Foundation, with
her artist husband Carlo Thertus. Along with sharing
her love for the arts with children, she also teaches
adult workshops to beginners and established
artists alike. Her books, paintings, and collages
have been exhibited internationally and have been
published in various books and magazines, including
her own book:

The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery.

(Check out a sneak peek of it by clicking on the link below)

The sneak peek from The Green Guide for Artists I thought I'd share with you today is this technique of fusing plastic bags together:

 

Click on the image to read how to fuse plastic bags together to make a strong plastic "fabric" that's great for all sorts of craft and art projects.

 This is the project I did:

I made a fused plastic ATC.

Here is how I made my fused plastic ATC.

I went to my plastic bag recycling stash and laid out what I had to work with. I didn't realize plastic bags had such cool sayings on them.

I rough cut out the white bags and the words I landed on "you only crazy".

I then pressed fused them together. One tiny difference I did from the original directions was instead of wax paper, I used parchment paper and it worked like a charm.

I then trimmed it up with my quilting grid ruler that I marked off with masking tape to make it super easy to cut ATC's out.

And here is a bonus photo with the beautiful sky I just had to share with you today!

By the way I do use fabric tote bags most of the time but I forget once in a while, and so these plastic bags are what I have accumulated over quite some time. They were in the car to go back to the recycling container at the grocery store but my copy of The Green Guide for Artists showed up and they were back in the craft supply zone!

Today's question, did you think today was  special? Well it is but I still got a question for ya!

Have you made any changes in your crafting to make it a bit more "GREEN"?

And as usual, 'cuase we love to give away free books, as a thanks for sharing, you'll be entered to win a free book!

Comments

[Pat Upton]

I have tried to make my art a bit more green but re-purposing items from around the house, re-using failed art attempts, but Lord knows that I haven't been able to reduce anything! I would love to win a book!
pat upton [email protected]

[Trine]

Yes, I have. I visit flea markets, I take of buttons, ribbons, zippers etc. of clothes before throwing away if they're beyond repair, I buy second hand craft items, I reuse containers etc. for storage and I also try to find tips for going green in crafting that I share at Norway's biggest rubberstamps discussion board: www.rubberstamps.no :)

[MonkeyGurrl]

So, why did you use parchment? Was it b/c that's what you had available, or is that preferred? Just curious, since I have neither at home.

As for being more green, I'm disparately trying to reduce. I've got so much STUFF at home and am way too tempted by the i-net ... I'm getting better, tho.

[Ingrid Tiffe]

I repurpose practically every type of packaging anymore. Though once you start stashing it away in a drawer in your studio it becomes obvious how many things have excess packaging. So it has changed many of my buying habits also.

[Janet]

Both books sound not only "green" but really useful.

I try to include "green" materials whenever I can. I found a paper distributor who let me have their offcuts. I then designed books in sizes to maximize using the papers. I then got end cuts of matte board and made the book covers. With the really small paper ends, I pulped them to make new "recycled" paper which I cast into shapes using molds.

[Judy Alexander]

I am amazed at the amount of stuff I have accumulated and am now in the process of using what I have in my stash. I also find myself recycling such things as candy wrappers, mesh and plastic bags.

[Melissa]

I reuse everything I can in my art, junk mail, paper scraps, wrappers, bags, etc. I also reuse packaging, I trade books or borrow them. I buy used when I can, I use cloth shopping bags & cloth diapers on my son. I make my own household cleaners. I try to live as green as possible. HAPPY EARTH DAY!

[Katina]

I have started making projects that use the items I already have at home, basically using supplies instead of hoarding them!

I also took a bunch of fabric I won't ever use and made re-usable totes for my friends.

I'm also asking friends to "contribute" what they would consider to be trash but I would see as art in the making. You'd be surprised at some of the stuff I've received.

[rush]

i recycle paper that i can't use. i save bits of paper and fabric so that i can use it in a project. i use recycled items in my assemblage. i am not aware of where my art materials come from, and i would like to see some links for this.

[Suella]

I help to recycle the redundant printer paper from college by re-using it.

I also source a high proportion of my craft materials from thrift shops, or craft recyling centres when working with children.

A good source of textile materials is Freecycle or rummage sales.

It all keeps things out of landfills and helps athose on a limited bidget.